Enharmonic Rhapsody
by Kaist
Summary: AU. Somewhat silly. Lyra went on a journey for many reasons, but saving Johto wasn't one of them.
1. Chapter 1

**Enharmonic Rhapsody**

Lyra stared quietly down at the machine that held two red-and-white spherical objects. _One of these Pokemon... will become my lifelong companion, _she thought, staring at both Pokeballs with intensity and great deliberation.

Elm observed her in between moving about at the other end of the lab. _Lyra.. the "ghost" of New Bark Town. Never talks, never leaves her home except when Ethan coaxes her out or she visits my wife. A virtually unnoticed girl... most people don't know she even exists. She used to be good friends with Kris, who became the champion of Johto after that ordeal with Ho-Oh rampaging through Ecruteak City..._

_I remember her father.. Arceus, I'll never forget what I saw. He stumbled into New Bark Town in rags during a storm and collapsed on my doorstep, begging and pleading not to let "them" find him. Mel was working as my assistant at the time.. and she hugged him, treated his wounds, and that was that. Two years later, they were married. I lost track of them after that._

_What was his name again..?_

Lyra seemed to finally decide, as she picked up a Pokeball and tilted her head towards Professor Elm questioningly.

"You can release it," he smiled.

She did so, and a bright flash of light filled the room. Before her stood a small, cute, mouse-like Pokemon with a flaming hedge of fire on its back- Cyndaquil.

"Good choice." the assistant nodded appreciatively. Lyra sat down on the cold floor of the lab and held her hand out to the Pokemon.

_Is she... talking to Cyndaquil? _Elm wondered. And indeed, Lyra seemed to be communicating with the little Pokemon, a silent conversation of sorts that neither Elm nor the assistant could understand. Eventually, the Cyndaquil seemed to smile, and took her hand._  
_

Lyra stood up and faced the Professor, Cyndaquil now happily following along behind her. She regarded the flaming Pokemon. "Firaga."

Elm raised his eyebrows at the strange name. "Al.. alright then! Now, remember- Mr. Pokemon's house is a little past Cherrygrove. And..." He gestured to the computer at his left. "If your Cyndaquil- Firaga- gets injured, you can heal him here."

She nodded at him and walked out of the lab, Firaga running ahead of her. She'd noticed the red-haired boy in the window- how could anyone _not, _with that glare burning holes in her head?- but she also assumed that Elm had noticed and would take care of it, and so ignored the boy.

A short time later, she would regret this decision.

* * *

"Firaga," she told her Cyndaquil quietly as she walked out of the Cherrygrove Pokemon Center and pocketed her (she marveled, it was _hers- _mentally, she made a note to thank Professor Oak) Pokedex. "You... fought well."

The Cyndaquil made a happy noise and cuddled up to her. Gathering up the bunch of fur and fire, she looked quietly at her Pokemon and stood up. Hearing a scoff, she looked up.

"What, that _weak-_looking Pokemon?" It was the redhead boy from earlier. She made no move to respond, instead choosing to stare blankly his face and ignore his words.

_What an annoyance._

"_Lyra," _her father's voice in her mind- a memory. _"When you go on your journey as a Trainer, there will be people who only see their Pokemon as tools." For some reason, he looked as if he was in pain- but it was gone in a second, so quickly she must've imagined it. "It's our duty as Trainers to treat our Pokemon right.. and to teach others to, too."_

"...too good for a wimp like you," the boy was saying. Her eyes focused on him and her lip just barely twitched.

_Did he just... insult me...?_

He glared at her as if he knew that her thoughts had been elsewhere. "Don't you get what I'm saying?"

"..."

"Well, I too have a good Pokemon! I'll show you what I mean." The boy smirked at her silence and released his Pokemon. Pausing, his smirk somehow became more malicious. "Dotdotdot."

"..." That was it. Her father's words were forgotten in her surge of irritation. _I'm going to win!_

* * *

Scowling, the boy looked at the fainted Totodile on the ground. Then he looked sharply at Lyra, who had approached the Totodile. "What?"

"Your Totodile.." she said. An undefinable emotion swept across her face so quickly the boy thought he must've imagined it.

_Her voice... It's like she hasn't talked in a long time. _he thought with confusion. And- _What is she doing? That Pokemon is weak. It's not worth coddling-_

Before he could make a move, she had glided over and simply stared at the Water-type Pokemon. He watched in shock as Totodile slowly began to wake up and look less beaten.

Finally regaining the use of his limbs, he stalked towards Lyra and his Pokemon. He recalled Totodile, then glared angrily at Lyra.

...who stared blankly back, unfazed, then calmly picked up his Trainer Card from its place on the ground and began reading it.

"W-what are you doing?! That's mine-" He swiped it back, then looked at her in dawning realization. "Oh no.. You- you saw my name!" Turning tail, he ran into Cherrygrove City.

_What an annoying boy. _she thought yet again, slowly making her way back to New Bark Town. _But Dad said to.. help Trainers like that... so I will. And I'll beat him again._

_...Silver, huh?_


	2. Chapter 2

"So you must be... the one who did it?" the policeman questioned.

"..." Elm and Lyra both stared blankly at him, shocked into silence. _What an idiot._

Suddenly, the door burst open and Ethan came running in, skidding to a halt in front of the officer. "Hold up! Lyra wouldn't do something like that! The Professor gave her her Pokemon!"

"Then do you know who did it?"

"Yes, I do. There was a red-haired boy looking into the building!"

"..."

The policeman turned to Lyra. "What? You battled someone like that?" Turning aside, he muttered quietly to himself. Then he regarded Lyra with a stern look. "Did you happen to get his name?"

"...Silver." she said in monotone. For some reason, she felt vaguely guilty.

_He shouldn't have stolen Totodile, _she reasoned. _He is bringing this upon himself._

She didn't feel any better about it.

* * *

"So it's another Egg..." Professor Elm murmured. "Well, thank you, Lyra. You've been very helpful- is there anything else that happened?"

Wordlessly, she held out a Pokedex. Elm's eyes widened. "Professor Oak?"

She nodded. He grinned. "Lyra, that's incredible! Professor Oak has always been an amazing judge of potential. If he gave you a Pokedex... I always knew there was something interesting about you."

Lyra smiled uncertainly.

"Why don't you take on the Gym challenge?" the Professor suggested, as if answering her unspoken question. "Many Trainers with a Pokedex go for it, as it's an excellent way to see new Pokemon. And.. At the end of it, you can challenge the Champion."

_What if, during this journey.. I found Dad? _The thought hit her like a lightning bolt.

"Lyra." She looked back at Professor Elm obediently. "Challenging the Gyms... is a long journey. You should talk to your mother first."

She nodded in assent as she left.

_...Dad. In this world... Where have you gone?_

* * *

"You're going on an adventure?" Mel asked her daughter, smiling as she took in the sight of Firaga snuggled in Lyra's arms. "I'll help you. You know how Trainers receive prize money when they win a battle? If you send me some of that through the Pokegear, I'll save it up for you."

Lyra looked at her mother, concern evident. "Is it okay?"

Mel's eyes grew wet and she drew Lyra into a hug. "Oh, honey.. It's perfectly fine. This is an opportunity for you to learn about places and people and Pokemon- and if you want to go, then go! See the world."

"..I'll be careful."

"I know you will be. One last thing.. When you work together with Pokemon, you can accomplish anything." She released Lyra. "Now, go on. And.. visit me sometimes. I love you."

Lyra didn't say anything, but she hugged Mel tightly one last time before dashing out the door.

* * *

A wild Sentret suddenly popped out of the wild grass, growling at Firaga. Firaga leered back, and the two immediately began to tussle.

Neither Pokemon noticed the sudden glint in Lyra's eyes.

_It's cute..._

Lyra lobbed a Pokeball at the wild Pokemon and watched intently as the Pokeball clicked once, twice and thrice, then momentarily darkened in color. Firaga made an unhappy noise and then squeaked as Lyra picked him up, staring him down.

_Play nice._

"Cyn, daquil!" Firaga retorted.

_..Too bad. _Lyra thought to him, carrying the small mouse Pokemon like one would a sack of potatoes.

"Cyn..."

* * *

Lyra, Firaga and Sentret sat quietly on the Pokemon Center bed. All three were tired.

"My voice," Lyra said suddenly. Firaga looked at her curiously. "It's so... hoarse." She faced her Pokemon, disturbed with this revelation. "I haven't... spoken?"

"Cyn, cynda." Firaga looked just as surprised as she did.

"I only started to.. after that boy's Totodile," she murmured. Sentret cuddled up against her, and she put an arm around her absently. A millisecond later, Firaga pushed his nose into her side. She sighed in exasperation and put an arm around him, too.

"Cynnnn~" Firaga crooned, and she frowned.

_Not really._

"Sen, tre!" Sentret proclaimed grumpily, then turned and faced away from her Trainer and Firaga.

Lyra sighed and drew both her Pokemon close, gladly welcoming unconsciousness.


End file.
